Field Service “Freebies” That Will Win You Return Customers – Part 2

A “Dash” Button

Ever wish you could just push a button to call the service you need? Amazon introduced this idea in general with the Dash buttons, essentially a plastic toy button that, when pressed, sent a wireless signal that adds one specific item to your shopping cart. People use this for items they don’t buy every day but need regularly like, say, laundry detergent.

With a little know-how and the right promotional items service, you might be able to set up a Dash button equivalent for the service you offer. This possibility is currently speculation but the first field service business to make a new appointment automatic and easy for customers may find themselves to be technical and industry leaders. Not to mention purveyors of a luxury field service feature. If you do put together a Dash button solution, consider mounting it just inside the utility closet for your customers or wherever they think would be most convenient.

Laminated Home Maintenance Cheat Sheet

The rise of inbound marketing has taught us that customers are becoming more independent. They like to look up how do to do things themselves, even if they eventually call a service due to time constraints and relative skill requirements for a task. Home maintenance tips and guides are all the rage for field service digital marketing, but what about in the real world?

One very affordable freebie to leave with your customers simply takes the inbound marketing principles back into the physical homes of customers. Leave them with a laminated or otherwise waterproof cheat-sheet for home maintenance, an outline of all the regular maintenance they should worry about and some friendly tips on what can be done without a service like changing filters and keeping drains clear.

A Simple Branded Tool or Gear

A popular form of promotional item is something useful that is clearly associated with your business. A cleaning service, for instance, might gift customers with a feather duster sporting the service’s name and contact information on the handle. A plumber might leave the customer with a handy standard-sized wrench for the occasional tightening task.

If this works for your company, try to think of freebies that are undeniably useful and a little bit silly. Getting a laugh from the customer is worthwhile all on its own and ideally, you can find an item that will delight and help your customer at several points between now and the next time they need your service. If the tool can be turned into a children’s toy or added to the family toolbox, both are great options for keeping your freebies around the house.

Credit Card Multi-Tool

Another great approach is to choose something useful that will ride around in the customer’s wallet. While business cards are a dime a dozen and get tossed without a second thought, a credit card multi-tool is cheap to print and offers some incredible utility to your customers.

A multi-tool is the ideal way to get your information on a wallet-sized card without falling into the business card cliche. It’s plastic (or light metal) and will, therefore, last forever and once it goes in the customer’s wallet, there’s really no reason for them to take it out again except in an emergency and to catch your contact information off of the side. If they find themselves using the multi-tool, your chances of getting called again increase significantly.

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The suggestions we have made today are not your only options for freebies by a long shot, but each is custom-targeted both for your brand image and the needs of your customers. When it comes to promotional items, remember that your final goal is to design something useful that will hang around in the house as a passive reminder of your services until the customer needs to make another service appointment.

Whether it’s your information holding up their favorite Chinese food menu, blazoned on the best pen in the pen cup, or heading their maintenance schedule on the appliance itself, customers who enjoy your promotional freebies are far more likely to call you back for a second appointment and then become regulars over time. For more tips, ideas, and advice on marketing your local field service business, contact us today!